As the five-day session of Bihar legislature began on Monday, the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) legislators demanded condolence and a one-minute silence to pay tribute to those killed in the ongoing Gaza-Palestine conflict in the State assembly. The CPI (M-L) legislators, who are partners of the ruling coalition, also raised slogans outside the Assembly premises with placards expressing support for Palestine, and condemning the BJP government at the Centre for standing in support of Israel. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav were present inside the Assembly during the sloganeering.
With posters against Israel in their hands, the CPI (M-L), which has 12 MLAs, raised slogans against the aggression of Israeli forces and demanded an end to the war in Gaza. Their posters read, “Palestinians ka narsanhar band karo (stop the massacre of Palestinians)” and “Gaza par kabza kiye jameen ko mukt karo (Liberate the lands occupied in Gaza).”
Both the Opposition BJP and the ruling ally Janata Dal (United) legislators in the State slammed the Left party’s leaders for supporting Palestine, and wondered how could tributes could be paid to a “terrorist” organisation, while referring to Hamas.
“Traditionally we’ve been in support of the people of Palestine, and that sentiment was echoed even by the earlier BJP government headed by the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. We should condemn the Israel attack on innocent people of Gaza and Palestine and pay tributes to them,” Mehboob Alam, CPI (M-L) MLA from Balrampur Assembly constituency in Katihar district of north-eastern Bihar, said. He, along with other legislators of the party, demanded that a condolence be paid for those killed in Gaza inside the State Assembly. which was adjourned till Tuesday after paying tribute to the legislators died in recent months.
The CPI (M-L) MLA from Paliganj constituency, Sandeep Saurav, told the media that the PM Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre has “shamed” the country by standing in support of Israel without seeking the opinion of our countrymen. “We want the State government to send a letter to the Centre condemning the lack of initiative the Indian government has shown in stopping the war between Israel and Palestine,” demanded Mr. Saurav.
His party colleague and legislator Manoj Manjil, who represents Agiaon in Bhojpur district, alleged that Indian government is “shamelessly” standing with Israel. “There is carnage going on in Gaza, and we want the independence of Palestine. The attack by Israeli forces on the people of Palestine must stop immediately.”
CPI-ML, with its 12 MLAs in 243-members State Assembly, along with the CPI and the CPI (M), is a ruling ally of the coalition mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) government headed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in Bihar.
While speaking with media persons the lone MLA of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen Akhtarul Iman from Amour assembly constituency in Purnia district of northeastern Bihar, too condemned killing of “innocent people” in Gaza and Palestine. “We must condemn the Israeli attack on Gaza and Palestine by Israeli forces. We should also pay tribute to those killed in Gaza and Palestine by observing one-minute silence in the state assembly”, Mr Iman said.
Meanwhile, the ruling JD(U) MLA from Parbatta in Khagaria district Sanjeev Kumar slammed left party legislators over their demand, and said that those who support Hamas and Palestine should be called “traitors”. Mr. Kumar was also supported by Opposition BJP MLAs who raised slogans like ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ (‘Victory to Mother India’), inside the Assembly before the Speaker adjourned the proceedings. “How could tribute be paid to terrorists? Those who want to pay tributes to them should go to Gaza and Palestine, and I’ll bear their travel expenses,” said the JD(U) MLA.
The winter session of Bihar is scheduled to end on November 10.
